For spring break of 2013 the original plan was to go to Brown County Indiana after going to the Barry-Roubaix gravel road race in Michigan. But the weather was not cooperating so after the race we had to go south, to Alabama. Me and my sister both won the junior category for the 24 mile and the two junior 150 dollar scholarships. My sister Emma Swartz, was first woman overall for the entire 24 mile and I was 9th in the 11-29 year old men category. So after this we headed down to the IMBA epic, Oak Mountain which was where we road in Alabama. We stayed there for three nights and rode some amazing trails like blood rock, Jekyll and Hyde, and BUMP. There is a pro XT mountain bike race there for good reason! Next we went the Bull Mountain IMBA epic in Dahlonega, Georgia. These were also great trails, they began with a super long down hill from the park lot that twisted and turned with burms and rock gardens all the way down to a river were we had to wade across a freezing cold river to access the other trails. They were all great and we only got one flat. We then packed up and started the journey home. On the way back we did a road race at the IndyCycloplex run by Marian College. I got sixth in juniors and my sister got 15. It was a great week of training with two races and 4, four hour mountain bike rides and I got to ride more of the great trails in our country.
